When I moved back home after varsity, I found myself sitting on my bed thinking... well, what next? I was searching for the next step in my career, and while my office job was stable and somewhat fulfilling, I wanted to start something that would satisfy my desire to be creative even further.
I have always loved design, whether it be designing confectionery, furniture, or clothing, and this, tied in with my love for the ocean and Garden Route nature, led me to start playing around with illustrating elements of our nature and culture that mimic not only the Garden Route, but South African culture as a whole.
I have also always been drawn to the look and style of surf clothing, but I find that large surf brands tend to lack the knowledge of South African localism that lies at the centre of who we are as South Africans. The tendency of these big brands to cut costs can often lead to clothing being made from cheaper fabrics and being lower in quality. So I wanted to find a solution to this: make garments from high-quality fabric, built to last, while showcasing our South Africanisms and local nature.
And Cool Dude was born. The name is derived from a phrase that my friends and I find ourselves saying all the time... which often goes something along the lines of, "Yeah, that's cool, dude." A localism of our very own.
Thus the journey begins. After months of designing, testing, placing orders, finding manufacturers, doing branding, building websites, setting up payment gates (and the list goes on) our very first drop is now here for you to enjoy.
And hopefully, once you wear your first purchase, you will utter the words, "Yeah, it's cool, dude."